In the wake of last week’s destructive weather, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) introduced legislation (H.R. 1751) that would amend the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974 to require weather radios be in installed in all manufactured homes manufactured or sold in the United States. Legislation has not yet been introduced in the Senate.

The bill is similar to versions of legislation that have been introduced in the past.

MHI believes the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act passed in 2006 provides a superior public alert system over battery-operated weather radios. The WARN Act, scheduled to go live in April 2012, will provide all-hazard warnings over wireless devices and provides warnings to all individuals regardless of their location. All of the major wireless carriers have agreed to implement the WARN Act system.

MHI staff will be working with Chairman Bachus and others to modify the bill. Click here for more information on the WARN Act.

For additional information, members can contact Jason Boehlert at 703-558-0660 or jboehert@mfghome.org.

 

MHI is the preeminent national trade association for the manufactured and modular housing industries, representing all segments of the industry before Congress and the Federal government. From its Washington, D.C. area headquarters, MHI actively works to promote fair laws and regulation for all MHI members and the industry. For more information on MHI, visit www.manufacturedhousing.org.